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See, I set before you on this day life and good, evil and death. I command you to love Yahweh, your God, and follow his ways. Observe his commandments, his norms and his laws, and you shall live and increase, and Yahweh will give you his blessing in the land you are going to possess. But if your heart turns away and does not listen, if you are drawn away and bow before other gods to serve them, I declare on this day that you shall perish.

GOSPEL READING: Lk 9: 22- 25

And Jesus added, "The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected by the elders and chief priests and teachers of the Law, and put to death. Then after three days he will be raised to life."

Jesus also said to all the people, "If you wish to be a follower of mine, deny yourself and take up your cross each day and follow me. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it, and if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it. What does it profit you to gain the whole world while you destroy or damage yourself?"

REFLECTION

In the first reading Yahweh promises his blessing on those who keep their

Covenant with him and observe his commandments. If they do not, they will perish.

In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells us very clearly what the following of Christ entails, "If you wish to be a follower of mine, deny yourself and take up your cross each day and follow me.."

It is quite understandable that we would be afraid to "take up our cross each day." We imagine what it was for Christ to carry this cruel instrument of torture and death. Could we even imagine ourselves carrying the cross as Christ did?

The following of Christ for us would most probably not entail the physical cross and suffering Christ himself embraced for love of us. What is Christ asking of his followers when he demands that his followers "deny yourself [themselves] and take up your [their] cross each day and follow me"?

Christ is asking his followers to deny themselves and not be centered on self, to put others ahead of self in what they do, to take inconveniences and suffering in imitation of the suffering Christ. He is asking that at times we give up certain pleasures and delights to be like so many men and women who lack even the barest necessities of life. He is asking that we accept the many daily crosses that come in our lives to be more like Christ.

To follow Christ is to be obedient like him to the Father's will for us.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

Bernette Y. Ong

IN MEMORIAM (+)

Aimee Santos-Ocampo

Benedict T. Sy!ing (18 Oct 1978 - 15 Feb 1999)

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most.

Have a good day!

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